Dad’s God is our provider, and He has called us to be the dads our wives and kids need and even beyond to the world. So today, we need to be model stewardship and realize what God has put into our hands and how we are to be good stewards of it and be a conduit for God. What has God put into our hands to allow us to be a conduit of blessings to our wives? Is there something in our hands that will allow us to be a conduit of blessings to our kids? How can we use what God has given us to be a conduit of God’s to the world around us?
Faithful Provision: Stewarding God’s Blessings for Our Families
As fathers, it is crucial to recognize that everything we have is ultimately a gift from God. Psalm 24:1 reminds us,
"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."
Our role as dads is not just to possess these blessings but to steward them faithfully. One key aspect of stewardship is providing for our families. In 1 Timothy 5:8, it says,
"But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
Thus, by faithfully managing our resources to meet the needs of our families, we honor God’s provision and reflect His character to those around us.
Key Takeaway:
Recognize that everything you have comes from God, and your role as a dad involves stewarding these blessings to provide for your family’s needs.
Application:
Regularly assess your resources and how you are using them to care for your family. Seek God’s guidance in managing your finances, time, and talents to ensure you are fulfilling your role as a provider in your household.
Spiritual Nurturers: Guiding Our Children in God’s Ways
Beyond providing for our families, God calls us to be conduits of His blessings to our children. Proverbs 22:6 instructs,
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Our responsibility as dads extends beyond material provision to spiritual guidance and nurture. We are tasked with teaching our children about God’s love, His Word, and His ways. By investing time and effort into their spiritual upbringing, we sow seeds that will bear fruit throughout their lives. Ephesians 6:4 further emphasizes this duty, saying,
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
Key Takeaway:
As fathers, prioritize the spiritual well-being of your children by nurturing their faith and teaching them God’s ways.
Application:
Make intentional efforts to incorporate spiritual practices into your family life, such as regular Bible study, prayer, and meaningful conversations about faith. Lead by example, demonstrating a genuine and consistent commitment to following Christ.
Beyond Our Borders: Being Conduits of God’s Love to the World
Moreover, as stewards of God’s blessings, we are called to extend His love and provision beyond our families to the world around us. Matthew 5:16 urges,
"Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Whether through acts of kindness, generosity, or sharing the gospel, we have the opportunity to reflect God’s character and advance His kingdom. Galatians 6:10 reinforces this principle, saying,
"So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
Key Takeaway:
Embrace your role as a conduit of God’s blessings by actively seeking opportunities to bless others and share the love of Christ.
Application:
Look for ways to serve and bless those in need within your community, church, and beyond. Use your resources, skills, and influence to make a positive impact on the lives of others, thereby fulfilling God’s call to be His hands and feet in the world.
Embracing Our Role: Faithful Stewardship as Dads
In conclusion, as dads, we are entrusted by God with resources, responsibilities, and relationships that are meant to be stewarded faithfully for His glory. By recognizing and embracing our role as stewards and conduits of God’s blessings, we can fulfill His purposes for our lives and positively impact our families and the world around us. Let us continually seek His guidance and rely on His strength as we strive to be the dads He has created us to be, faithfully stewarding all that He has given us for His kingdom’s sake.
Today’s Devotional:
This year, I am utilizing the 365 Daily Devotions book I received for Christmas, applying its teachings specifically in the context of fatherhood. It’s called WALKING WITH GOD by DAVID JEREMIAH. It’s exciting to learn from a new resource this year as we have tried different options the past two years and will keep working through this for 2024. For more information about the author and his ministry, visit DavidJeremiah.org.
Topic: COMFORTED TO COMFORT OTHERS
Verse: Romans 12:15 (NIV)
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
Today’s Devotional kicks off sharing a story about how going through trials, troubles, and pain enable us to be able to relate to others who are going through trials, troubles, and pain more than ever before. It shares how because of what we go through we are able to relate better and can “feel their anguish as it were our own.” Let’s be the dads who look for opportunities to pour into the lives of others and be support and encouragement to them.
God models comforting to us so we can comfort others
Today’s Devotional bring us to 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
“Paul lays out the progression of comfort in suffering by saying that God comforts us when we are hurting so we can comfort others with that same comfort.” Let’s be the dads who are able to follow the example and model of God in order to be stewards of it and pour into the lives of those God bring into our lives. Is there anyone in your life who is in need of your comfort to help them through what they are going through?
Today’s Devotional closes reminding us that we don’t need to pray for suffering. Remember how Jesus told us in John that “in this world you will have troubles” and as such it will find us. Let’s be the dads who are praying for “empathetic hearts to feel the anguish of others and be prepared to comfort them as God comforted us.”
“Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your blessings in stone.”
UNKNOWN
